The US has funded most of the cash, and has seen punters kick in $663,316,496 in investments. The UK, which is second, has parted with $54,427,475, and Canada is third, having put in $44,913,678.

There seems to be a small hard core of investors, people who have funded more than 50 projects. Kickstarter said that 1.7 million people have backed at least one product, while 16,000 have booked more than 50.

While you might guess otherwise, family members apparently limit their investments, or more likely exposure, and of all the family members Mothers are the most frequent investors with 18 investments on average. Grandmothers are second with 17 investments and Fathers are third with 13 investments.

On 13 March last year $4,029,585.45 was pledged by 54,000 people to 1,985 projects. On the day that Kickstarter launched roughly 11 months earlier, just 40 people pledged $1,084 to seven projects. µ